ALESSANDRO

CHAPTER 36 : "You're Playing with Fire, Ariana."

CHAPTER 36

ARIANA LINCOLN

I sat alone on the table, thinking about what Fred said.

Betraying Aless.

I stuffed the file in my handbag and got up from the seat. Stopping a cab, I got on it and gave the address of Aless's penthouse while I stared outside the window.

The cab dropped me in front of the penthouse. I entered the house, the first thing I saw was Aless and Ian playing on the couch. Ian was laughing while Aless was making Batman and Superman fight.

"Mommy!" Ian exclaimed on seeing me.

I smiled making my way towards them.

"Mommy, why are you so late? Dad came long ago."

I looked at Aless once to find his eyes on me, questioning me.

Ignoring his gaze, I asked "What were you doing?"

"Dad and I were playing. Batman and Superman."

"So who is Batman and who is Superman between the two of you?"

Ian giggled "Dad and I both are Batman, you can be Superman. We will fight you."

I rolled my eyes.

"How about I be Batman and both of you be Superman?"

"No! Jesus Christ! Mommy, Batman is legend and I am a legend."

"You are a legend?" I asked.

He nodded, holding a proud smile on his lips. I pulled him closer to my lap and tickled him.

"Mommy loves you baby." I said, placing a kiss on his cheek.

He kissed me on my right cheek.

I played with them for sometime then I made my way upstairs, I changed my clothes to something comfortable while Ian was finishing up his homework.

"Baby you finish up with your work, I'll be back in a minute." He nodded.

I exited the room making my way towards Aless's room. I knocked on the door, he muttered 'come in'. Entering his room I said "I needed to talk."

He nodded "Sure."

"Umm... so today I was late."

"I didn't ask you anything about it."

"No, Aless. I went to see someone."

He kept the file on the desk and focused on me "Okay?"

"Federico Marino."

"Who is he?"

"The one who came for the interview, from Canale Italia. He used to be my junior at work."

"Ari, I asked you not to see anyone from work."

"I know. But he said he has something on Damien. So I had to."

"What are we getting at?"

"You remember the file I told you about. The file that Bruno had at the time of his accident."

He nodded.

I handed him the file. "This was the file."

I know I could've destroyed him with this file but I can't. He is Aless, I can't betray him.

If it was someone else, I wouldn't even give a second thought but this is him. It's Aless.

He is my- ... I don't know. It's just I can't betray him.